Exerciser



Patented May 28, 1940 PATENT OFFICE EXERCISER Joseph J. Chalette, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor of one-half to May Marcus Chalette, Lo

Angeles, Calif.

Application January 24, 1938, Serial No. 186,629

3 Claims.

My invention relates to an exerciser for the correction of paralysis resulting from-infantile paralysis.

An important object of the invention is to provide means to compela patient suffering from paralysis resulting from infantile paralysis, to exercise his or her knees, ankles, hips and other joints of 'the body, including wrists, elbows and shoulders.

Another object is to provide motor driven, pivoted means to which the feet or hands of the patient are strapped.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying the foregoing objects.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the offset line 22 of Figure 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the reference numeral 3 generally designates a motor. Shaft 4 of the motor carries a worm 5. Bearings 6, I support the shaft 4 at either side of the worm 5. Feet 8 are provided for the motor. Of course the motor may be mounted upon any suitable support: stationary or tiltable.

A worm gear 9 meshes with the worm 5 and is driven thereby. The worm gear is in turn keyed on a spindle II). A housing I2 encloses the worm 5 and worm gear 9. Suitable grease or oil plugs (not numbered) are provided for the apparatus. Feet I3 support the housing I2.

Oppositely pointed crank arms I4, I5 are mounted upon ends of the spindle II) that project from opposite sides of the sides of the housing I2. Pivotally mounted on wrists I6, I I, on the crank arms I4, I5 respectively, are pedals I8, I9. Foot-plates 20, 2| are fastened upon the pedals I8, I9 respectively. Toe straps 22 and ankle straps 23 are provided on each foot-plate.

It will be noted that heel portions 24 of the foot plates are adjustable away from (to the rear of) the axes of the wrists I6, H. The toe portions 25 of the foot plates have slots 26 near their rear ends. Bolts 21, passing through the heel portions 24 and through the slots 26, clamp together in their adjusted positions the toe and heel portions of the foot plates, by means of nuts 28.

By sliding the heel plates 24 closer toward the axes of the wrists I6, II, progressively less flexing of the angles is effected. This is desirable in the early stages of the treatment of a case and in aggravated cases. As the treatments con tinue, the heel plates are adjusted to positions farther from the axes of the wrists I6, II. This causes proportionately greater flexing of the ankles as the heel plates 24 are progressively moved from said axes. The toe and ankle straps are of course adjusted to fit the patients feet in their different positions along the foot plates. A patients foot is suggested at 29.

Insulated wires 30 and 3| include a rheostat 32 in the circuit of the motor 3, whereby the resistance in the motor circuit may be .varied. By this means, the motor is caused to operate at fasteror slower speeds, as desired.

It is to be understood that a patients hands may be strapped to the plates 20, 2I, as well as a patients feet (although of course not at the same time). When desired two of the present apparatus may be used simultaneously upon one patient, to wit, one apparatus to exercise the patients feet, legs and hips and the other to exercise the patients hands, arms and shoulders. A reduction of speed is effected by reason of the comparatively larger size of the worm gear to the worm. I

In the use of my present apparatus, a persons feet are first strapped to the foot plates, in the desired adjusted position of the heel plates. The circuit of the motor is then closed by a switch (not shown). The consequent revolution of the pedals I8, I9, effectively flexes the patients ankles, knees and hips. Such treatment at comparatively frequent intervals are beneficial in the correction of paralysis resulting from infantile paralysis.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit of my invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of all modifications which may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus of the class referred to, comprising a pedal including a heel portion for the support of a patients foot, a movable arm pivotally supporting the pedal about an axis substantially ahead of -the ankle of a persons foot on the pedal, the heel portion of the pedal being unsupported and free to rotate about said axis, strap means for holding a persons heel and toes in a manner that they may not move relative to the pedal, and means to move the arm.

2. Apparatus of the class referred to, comprising a pedal including a heel portion for the support of a patients foot, a crank arm pivotally supporting the pedal about an axis substantially ahead of the ankle of a persons foot on the pedal, the heel portion of the pedal being unsupported and free to rotate about said axis, a heel rest on the pedal adjustable toward and away from said axis, whereby the leverage between the ankle joint of the patient and the axis of the pedal may be varied, strap means arranged to hold the heel portion of the patients foot back against the heel rest in the adjusted positions of the heel rest and to hold the toe portion of the patients foot against the pedal, and means to rotate the crank arm.

3. An apparatus of the class referred to comprising a motor and gear reduction unit, a unitary casing therefor, a power shaft extending laterally from opposite sides of said casing, lever arms attached to said shaft, pedals carried by said lever arms, each pedal including a fixed plate adapted to support the ball of a patients foot and a movable plate adapted to receive the heelof a patients foot, whereby the leverage between the angle joint of the patient and the axis of the pedal may be adjusted, a toe strap carried by the fixed plate, and an ankle strap carried by the movable plate.

JOSEPH J. CHALET'I'E. 

